Washing and centrifuging textiles



Aug. 1, 1939. I A. A. LOWEKE WASHING AND CENTRIFUGING TEXTILES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May, 8, 1936' Patented Aug. 1, 1939 WASHING AND CENTRIFUGING TEXTILES Aaron A. Loweke, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 8, 1936, Serial No. 78,692

5 Claims.

One of the chief difllculties encountered in the use of washing machines having a single receptacle, rotatable on a vertical axis, in which textiles are both washed andcentrifuged, arises from the vibration that occurs duringthe centrifuging operation by reason of uneven distribution of the textiles in the receptacle. The uneven distribution of the textiles at the end of the washing operation causes unbalancing of the receptacle to such a degree that none of the known automatic balancing devices applicable to such washing machines are capable of bringing the recepta cle back into balance.

Although the textiles can be distributed in the receptacle by hand, an arrangement whereby the textiles are automatically distributed during or at the conclusion of the washing operation would obviously be a great convenience. In addition, such an arrangement would make possible the use of an automatic controlling device for putting the washing machine through the washing and centrifuging operations.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a system for the washing, automatic distribution and centrifuging of textiles in a single receptacle. More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred apparatus for carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a preferred apparatus for carrying out the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the central portion of the apparatus on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is'a vertical section of a modified apparatus for carrying out the invention;

.Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the central portion of the apparatus of Fig. 3, on a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 4 showing a portion of the apparatus slightly modified;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the electrical apparatus used in the controlling of the devices illustrated in the preceding figures; and 7 Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, of the controller'used in the electrical system.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows are .to disclose and illustrate the invention and are not to impose limitations upon the claims.

An apparatus embodying the invention includes a receptacle for textiles mounted to rotate on a substantially vertical axis. In orderthat the automatic distribution of the textiles in the receptacle may be accomplished, the apparatus is provided with a means for agitating textiles immersed in liquid in the receptacle by agitation of the 'liquid'without propelling-the textiles by-nonfiuid agencies. Finally, the apparatus is provided with a means for rotating the receptacle, after the distribution of the textiles has been accomplished, at a speed high enough for centrifugal extraction of a substantial quantity of liquid from the textiles.

When the apparatus is to be automatic, an automatic controlling device is provided to cause the distribution and the centrifuging to take place in succession. An arrangement for the disposal of the liquid used in the washing of the textiles may also be included in the apparatus. Since the agitation of the textiles that occurs while they are being distributed in the receptacle produces a. thorough washing and scrubbing of the textiles, this agitation can be employed for the washing operation as well as for the distribution that 'takes place between the washing and centrifuging operations. During the washing operation, the liquid in the receptacle may be drained and replaced with fresh liquid. Thus the first liquid employed may consist of soap suds and the second liquid rinsing water, and the discharging of the wash water and supplying of the rinse water may 'be accomplished automatically by means of the controlling device.

In the preferred method of agitating the liquid, substantially vertical currents of liquid adjacent the axis of the receptacle and substantially vertical currents of liquid in the opposite sense, remote from the axis of the receptacle, are produced, providing a toroidal flow of the liquid and in any case the agitation of the liquid is preferably accomplished by the injection of a gas or liquid thereinto. preferably provided in the receptacle for guiding textiles that are moving vertically adjacent the post, and the fluid for agitating the liquid in the receptacle may then be injected from the lower central portion of the receptacle radially along the bottom thereof. The fluid for injection into the receptacle preferably constitutes liquid that is withdrawn from the receptacle for reinjection thereinto.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1, an upright cylindrical shell III is mounted upon casters H and has an inturned flange surrounding its upper end upon which rests a cover I2. A casing [l3 for the electrical controller and for the inlet water pipe l4 that leads along the side of the shell I 0 is welded to the side of the shell. On

A substantially vertical central post is the top of the casing I3 is a circular dial marked with the operations of washing, rinsing and extracting, over which moves an indicator I 5. Four radially extending brackets I6 have their outer ends riveted to the interior of the shell I II and have their inner ends bolted to lateral supporting flanges II on a motor housing I3. From the lower side of the motor housing, a driving shaft I9 leads to a pump 20 supported from the motor housing by means of depending bosses 2I. The motor-turns and drives the pump continuously while the machine is operating.

From the bottom of a water-retaining tub 22, made of two sections welded to the interior of the shell ID, a drain pipe 23 leads to the pump 20. In the outlet pipe 24, leading from the pump to the sewer, is a solenoid valve 25 which, when energized, opens to permit the pump to withdraw the water from the tub 22. An inlet water line 26, leading from a hot water supply system, is connected through a similar solenoid valve 21 to the inlet water pipe I4. Whenever the solenoid valve 21 is open, water is supplied to the receptacle by means of an annular perforated pipe 28 connected with the inlet water pipe I3.

Projecting into the bottom of the tub 22 at the middle thereof is a supporting casting 29, which is bolted to the tub, with the interposition of a gasket 30 (see Fig. 2). Bolted to the lower edge of the supporting casting 29 is a transmission housing 3I, upon which is mounted a shifting solenoid 32. The main shaft 33 of the apparatus extends upward through the transmission housing and supporting casting and has splined thereon a conical inner clutch member 33 which is shiftable by means of a yoke 35. A spring 36 normally actuates the yoke to 'hold the inner clutch member 34 downward and a rod 37 connected to the shifting solenoid actuates the yoke in the opposite direction whenever the solenoid is energized. 1

Contained in the tub 22 is a rotary receptacle 33, which has a hollow central post 33 and is mounted on a base 40, resting upon a ball bearing on the topof the supporting casting 29. The base 40 has a hollow downward extension 4| surrounding the main shaft 33, to the bottom of which is screwed a conical outer clutch member 32. The supporting casting 29 has a recess extending upward thereinto, which surrounds the downward extension ll of the base 43. A spring 43 presses a steel gasket 43 to squeeze a rubber gasket 45 into a recessed Bakelite seal ring 36, for the purpose of sealing the ring to the extension ll. The seal ring 46 bears against 'a machined steel washer 31, which is sealed to the top of the recess in the supporting casting by means of a rubber gasket 33.

The main shaft 33 extends through an upward extension 39 of the base 43, and at its upper extremity has a driving connection with an impeller 53 journaled upon the exterior of the upward extension 49 of the base 33. By means of four vanes 5| on the impeller, water is drawn into the hollow post 39 through perforations 52 in the upper portion thereof, and is expelled radially from the post through lower perforations 53. The impeller rotates and the receptacle. remains stationary when the clutch members 32 and 33 are disengaged, and the water propelledby the impeller travels in the toroidal pathindicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The currents of water flow upward alongthe outer wall of the receptacle and downward adjacent the central post. As a result, the textiles are distributed evenly throughout the water. When textiles are washed in an ordinary agitator washing machine, the radial vanes of the oscillating agitator propel the clothes back and forth in the wash water and cause them to become tangled, bunched and unevenly distributed in the washing receptacle.

In contrast, textiles agitated in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings become and remain evenly distributed throughout the water, so that the receptacle may be rotated at centrifuging speed without preliminary manual distribution of the textiles in the receptacle. Perforations 53 are provided in the bottom of the receptacle to Permit the draining of water therefrom, and perforations 55 are provided in the portion of the receptacle of maximum diameter, for the ejection of water by centrifugal force during rotation of the receptacle.

In the lower portion of the tub 22, there is provided an aperture below which is secured a pressure switch casing 56. The aperture between the tub 22 and the casing 66 is closed by means of a flexible diaphragm 51 responsive to the pressure of the water thereon. A switch arm 53 is mounted in the casing 56 upon a fulcrum 59 and is connected to the diaphragm 51 by means of a link 63. When the tub 22 has been filled to the desired level with water, the diaphragm 31 is flexed downward sufficiently to open the switch in the housing 56.

- In the apparatus of Figure 3, the upper portion of the shell- I3 constitutes the side-wall of the water-retaining tub, and the bottom of the tub is formed by a pan 6I welded to the interior of the shell III. The transmission housing 6.2 of Figure 3 rests upon the motor housing I3, and the supporting casting 63 has the inlet nipple 63 of the drain pipe 23 formed integral therewith. To

expedite the scrubbing of the clothes, the recepis formed a pinion I2. In mesh with the pinion I2 is a gear I3, fixed on an idle shaft I3. The gear I3, by means of a pinion I5 fixed on the idle shaft, drives a gear formed on the lower end of a sleeve IS. A step bearing for the sleeve I6 is provided by a machined ring 11 threaded on the exterior of the sleeve.

When the double clutch member 69 is in its normal upper position, it engages anupper female clutch member I3, which is provided with a square socket into which the main shaft ll of the apparatus extends. A machined ring 33 threaded on the exterior of the upper female clutch member I3 provides a step bearing for that member upon an internal shoulder of the sleeve I3.

Resting on a rubber gasket" on top of the supporting casting 63, is a machined collar 32 which forms a sealing step bearing for a base casting 33.

Threaded into the upper end of the main shaft- I9 is a screw bolt 9| beneath which is a washer 92 retaining a spring 93 that presses against the upper end of a screw impeller 94 surrounding the shaft. This impeller is slidable vertically upon the shaft and has a square socket in its upper end that flts'over the squared upper end of the main shaft I9. Sealed on the main shaft I9 is a Bakelite seal ring 95 upon which the screw impeller is supported by means of a spring 9i. The seal ring 95 turns on the machined upper face of a steel washer 91 supported on and sealed to the base casting 03 by means of a rubber gasket 98.

The base casting 83 is provided with fingers on its lower side that mesh with corresponding fingers on the upper side of the sleeve I6, so that the base casting and the tube and receptacle supported thereby are driven at centrifuging speed whenever the double clutch member 69 is in engagement with the lower female clutch member II. When the clutch member 69 is in raised position, the rotating impeller draws water into the tube from the space between the receptacle and the pan 6|, through perforations 99 in the bottom of the tube. From the top of the tube, the water passes down through the outer sleeve 88 and it is injected radially from the sleeve along the bottom of the receptacle 65. Toroldal currents in the water in the receptacle 65, about a horizontal circular axis at the centers of the circles of arrows shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, and similar to the currents in the receptacle of Fig. 1, are thereby set up. The water flows upwardly adjacent to the outer walls of the receptacle 65, and downwardly adjacent to the central post of the receptacle, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. In addition, some of the water drains continuously through perforations I00 in the bottom of the receptacle 65 to replace the water drawn into the tube 85 by the impeller.

Figure 6 illustrates an apparatus that is constructed somewhat differently from the apparatus shown in Figure 4, but operates in exactly the same manner. The base casting IOI of Fig. 6 has keyed thereto a short vertical tube I02, which rests upon an interior shoulder of the base casting. The screw impeller I03 andthe main shaft I04 of Fig. 6 are considerably shorter than the impeller and main shaft of Fig. 4, and the wateris discharged directly from the top of the impeller into the receptacle. A crown plate I05,

supported from the bottom of the receptacle by means of a spider I06, is employed to direct the 'water' from the top of the tube I02 downward and outward along the bottom of the receptacle and to supportand close the bottom of the central post I01.-

Figure '7 illustrates the electrical control system employed in the devices of Figs. 1 and 3.

Mounted upon a Bakelite base I00, forming the bottom of a controller housing I09, are concenotedupon a step bearing II 4 fixed ii'rihe; center of the'Bakelite base I09 and is driven at a slow speed, in a clockwise direction, by an electrical motor and reduction gearing inside a casing II5 that fits in the upper end of the controller Q indicator I5, the driving connection between the reduction gearing and the shaft II2 being capable of slippage to permit the shaft II2 to be rotated manually by means of the indicator I5.

The electrical system may be connected with an electrical supply line by means of a plug 1, and a leadwire II9 connects all of the contacts H3 on the contact arm III with one of the prongs of the plug I'II. Connected between the cop-, per strips H0 that are at the greatest radial distance from the vertical shaft I I2 and the other prong of the plug- I I1, is the solenoid I I9 that actuates the clutch by which .the apparatus is shifted from washing operation to centrifuging operation. The solenoid drain valve is connected Whenthe apparatus is in its inoperative condition, as it is shown in Figure 7, none of the contacts H3 is inelectrical contact with a copper strip I I 0. It is obvious that when the contact arm is moved clockwise the slight amount necessary tobring it into contact with the innermost copper strip IIO, the control motor I23 will drive the contact arm III on around until the contact arm again reaches the inoperative ceptacle together with a proper quantity of soap,

which may have a bluing compound incorporated therewith. As soon as the control motor has been started, the solenoid inlet valve 21 opens and causes water to be sprayed upon the textiles in the receptacle. The main driving motor I22 operates at the same. time as the control motor and drives the impeller for circulating the water. When the water. in the receptacle has attained the proper level, the pressure switch I 2I opens and causes-the solenoid inlet valve 21 to close.

The washing of "the textiles then proceeds, as the waterlin the receptacle flows in the toroidal paths indicated by the arrows, about a horizontal circular axis at-the centers of the circles of arrows shown in the drawings. Even though the textiles may have all been placed at one side of the receptacle, they are soon distributed evenly throughout the watertherein. By the time the contact arm III reaches the second outermost contact strip IIO, the textiles have been thoroughly washed. The closing of the circuit through the second outermost contact strip causes the solenoid drain valve 25 to open.

Immediately the level of liquid in the receptacle begins to fall, and the contacts in the pressure switch are closed. Thus, as soon as the liquid begins to drain from the receptacle,

the solenoid inlet valve opens and causes clean water to be sprayed into the, receptacle. The impeller continues to pump water until the water has nearly all been drained, while the spraying,

thoroughly extracted from the textiles, the solenoid drain valve 25 remaining open. When the de-energization of the clutch solenoid I II causes the impeller to begin rotating and causes the receptacle to stop, the drain valve simultaneously closes and the inlet valve opens.

Then the filling of the receptacle proceeds exactly as at the beginning of the washing operation, until the attainment of a proper level causes the pressure switch III to open the solenoid inlet valve circuit. vAgitation of the textiles in the fresh water then continues until they have received a thorough rinsing.- Next the drain valve opens and the flushing of the rinse water from the textiles takes place in the same manner as at the end of the washing operation. Finally, the textiles are given a thorough centri: fuging with the drain valve open and the inlet valve closed. The operator may hasten the operation of the apparatus at any time by moving the indicator ii in a clockwise direction the desired amount.

Changes in the illustrated apparatus may be made and various systems embodying the substance of the invention may be devised to me various requirements.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a receptacle for textiles to be centrifuged, mounted to rotate on a substantially vertical axis, means for distributing textiles evenly throughout liquid in the receptacle by propelling them in a toroidal path solely with fluid agencies, means for holding the receptacle against rotation during the distribution of the textiles, means for withdrawing the liquid leaving the textiles uniformly distributed about the receptacle, means for rotating the receptacle at a speed high enough for centrifugal extraction of a substantial quantity of liquid from the textiles, and automatic controlling means to cause the distribution and liquid withdrawal and extraction to take place successively.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a receptacle rotatable on a substantially vertical axis, meansfor cleaning and uniformly distributing textilesimmersed in liquid in the receptacle by injecting fluid into the receptacle and circulating the liquid in radically arranged vertical circular paths whereby the textiles are distributed evenly throughout the liquid, means for withdrawing the liquid and leaving the textiles uniformly distributed about the receptacle, means for holding the receptacle against rotation during the distribution of the textiles, and means for rotating the receptacle thereafter at-a speed high enough for centrifugal extraction of a substantial quantity of liquid from the textiles.

3. A method of washing and centrifuging textiles in a receptacle without removal therefrom, that comprises placing the textiles in the receptacle together with a liquid, agitating the teatiles by propelling them in a toroidal path solely with fluid agencies while maintaining the receptacle stationary, whereby they are distributed evenly throughout the liquid in the receptacle, then withdrawing the liquid leaving the textiles uniformly distributed about the receptacle, and thereafter rotating the receptacle on a substantially vertical axis at a speed high enough for centrifugal extraction of a substan- 'tial quantity of liquid from the textiles.

' 4. Cleaning apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to serve as acentrifugeand to contain material to be cleaned, a tub in which said receptacle is mounted for'rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for injecting cleaning liquid, a drain for said tub, drive mechanism, means driven by said mechanism for circulating the-liquid in a toroidal path, means for connecting said drive mechanism to the res ceptacle to drive it as. a centrifuge, a control circuit for the liquid-injecting means including a switch having means to operate it to open the circuit when thereis a predetermined quantity of liquid in the tub, circuits controlling the drain and said connecting means, and an automatic controller for operating the apparatus in a cycle (1) with the receptacle stationary and said control circuit closed and the liquid-circu-. lating means operating thereby to wash mate rial placed in the receptacle, (2) then to rotate the receptacle with the drain open and the control circuit open, (3) then to inject more liquid and circulate it to distribute the material uniformly in the receptacle and at the same time to rinse said material, and (i) finally to rotate the receptacle with the drain open and the control circuit open to dry the material so distributed.

5. Cleaning apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to serve as a centrifuge and to contain material to be cleaned, 'a' tub in which said receptacle is mounted for rotation about, a substantially vertical axis, means for injecting cleaning liquid, a drain for said tub, drive mechanism,

means driven by said mechanism for circulating the liquid in a toroidal path, means for connecting said drive mechanism to the receptacle to drive it as a centrifuge, a control circuit for the liquid-injecting means including a switch having means to operate it to open the circuit when there is a predetermined quantity of liquid in the tub, circuits controlling the drain and said connecting means, and an automatic controller for operating the apparatus automatically in a cycle to clean and to rinse said material and to distribute the material uniformly in the receptacle and then to drive thereceptacle to centrifuge said material.

I AARON a LOWEKE. 

